“I don't think of myself as a movie star and I can pretty easily convince other people that I'm not a movie star.”
- Frances McDormand
Moving back to the town where I went to undergraduate school has been at times, strange. Driving around places and haunts that 40 years ago where significant to me, can now seem like I'm on a tour bus observing sites from someone else's life. Or like I'm viewing a dream reel in an old movie. It's deja vu-ey.
The college I attended was Southwest Missouri State University. Since then they've upgraded the name to Missouri State University. I got graduate degrees from Memphis State University. It's now The University of Memphis. The college in my hometown was Northeast Missouri State University. It's now Truman State University. I guess these school think the new names give them greater distinction, more cachet. They can charge more for tuition, maybe.
Whatever the case, good old Southwest Missouri State has some heavy weight acting alumni to its credit. John Goodman, Kathleen Turner and Tess Harper all went to school here. That's some kind of talent coming out of a state school in the Ozarks. While I was in attendance there, I got to know Byrne Blackwood, a legendary, beloved professor in the Theatre Department. I can't remember how our paths crossed since my area of study was far, far away from the drama world. All three of the actors mentioned above had studied under him. I thought that was something. I asked him, having worked with these talented people early in their careers, was there anything about them that stood out? Were they exceptional? I can't quote his response verbatim, but it was along the lines of —
Not particularly. They were talented for sure, but we have many, many talented people come through the program. Like anything, those particular folks had to have some luck and breaks along the way. Sometimes, though, it comes down to wanting something bad enough to endure the struggles and disappointments that are inevitable and not throw in the towel from discouragement.
Take from it what you will. See if you can spot one of those folks in an early career appearance in the video below.